utmost importance to thofe who are intended for the office of the ministry! tsoon? ban dragon

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But I have it further in view, to recommend to you all, without exception, a life of diligence and application. Avoid floth as a dangerous enemy; fear it, hate it, and defpife it. It is a common faying, that men do not know their own weakness; but it is as true, and a truth more important, that they do not know their own ftrength. I defire that you will receive the following information from me, which I dare fay, every perfon of judgment and experience will confirm, that multitudes of moderate capacity have been useful in their generation, refpected by the public, and fuccefsful in life; while thofe of fuperior talents from nature, by mère flothfulnefs and idle habits, or felf-indulgence, have lived useless and died contemptible. There is alfo a difpofition in young people, which you know I have often fet myself to oppofe, to think that loofe irregular fallies, and fometimes even vicious liberties are a fign of fpirit and capacity. The very contrary is the truth." It requires no genius at all to do mifchief. Perfons of the greateft ability have generally been lovers of order. Neither is there any inftance to be found of a man's arriving at great reputation or usefulnefs, be his capacity what it might, without industry and application.

Suffer me here, in a particular manner, to recommend to you a firmnefs of mind and fteady

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perfeverance, as of the utmost moment to your progrefs and fuccefs. Whatever a man's talents from nature may be, if he apply himself to what is not altogether unfuitable to them, and hold on with steadiness and uniformity, he will be useful and happy; but if he be loofe and volatile, impatient of the flownefs of things in their ufual course, and shifting from project to project, be will probably neither be the one nor the other.

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I am fomewhat at a lofs what to fay as to character and reputation, yet it is fo important a point, that it must not be omitted. True religion fhould furnish you with a higher and nobler principle to govern your conduct than the defire of applaufe from men. Yet, in fubordination to what ought to be the great purpofe of life, the approbation of the fupreme Judge, there is a juít and laudable ambition to do what is praife-worthy among men. This ought not to be extinguished in the minds of youth; being a powerful fpur and incitement to virtuous or illuftrious actions. A truly good man will feek no praife but by honeft means, and will be fuperior even to difgrace itfelf, if brought upon him by adherence to his duty. Yet he will also be tender and careful not to give juft caufe to any to impeach his conduct. If I might be permitted to direct your views upon this fubject, I would fay, confider that your character is already beginning to form. Every step you take further in life, will both afcertain and fpread it. You ought alfo to A. a 2

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be informed, that notwithstanding all the hacke neyed complaints of the partiality and cenforioufnefs of the world, a man's real character, in point of ability, is never mistaken, and but seldom in point of morals. That there are many malicious and fenforious perfons I agree, but lies are not half fo durable as truth, There is an impartiality in a diffufive public, which will shew itself where means of information are afforded to it. Therefore reverence the judgment of mankind without idolizing it. Be as cautious as poffible to do nothing that deferves cenfure, and as little concerned as poffible what reproaches may fall upon you undeferved. It is not a contradiction, but perfectly confiftent to fay, a man thould be tender and even jealous of his character, and yet not greedy of praife. There is an amiablenefs and dignity in the firft, but a meannefs and littlenefs in the laft. woud of it of d

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Another advice, near a kin to the last, is; do as much as you can to deserve praise, and yet aavoid as much as poffible the hearing of it. This is but another view of the fame fubject; and that it may be the more ufeful, and my intention in it the more manifeft, I will extend it both to praife and difpraife. When you come into public life, and become the objects of general attention, not only guard against fishing for applaufe, and being inquifitive after what people think or fay of you, but avoid knowing it as much as you decently cap. My reafon for this is, that whether

you

you will or not you will hear as much of the flander of your enemies as you will bear with patience, and as much of the flattery of your friends, or interested perfons, as you will bear with humility. Therefore prepare yourself for both, but feek for neither. Several eminent authors, as you doubtless know, have given it as an advice to young clergymen, and other public fpeakers, to get a friend who is a good judge, and intreat him to make remarks upon their compofition, carriage, delivery, &c. with fidelity. I have nothing to fay against the goodness of the advice in itself, but at the fame time, I have no great conviction of the neceffity or even the utility of it. It is very feldom that advice is afked in this manner, but with a view to obtain a compliment, and ftill feldomer that it is given with fufficient freedom and impartiality. If any man has humility and felf-denial enough to wish to know his own faults, there will be little difficulty in difcovering them.: Or if we could fuppofe there were difficulty to himfelf, his enemies, or rivals, or talkative people, though they be neither the one nor the other, will fupply the defect. Perhaps you will think, that in the strictures of malice and envy, there is generally an acrimony that has no great tendency to reform; like a rusty knife, which makes a very painful wound, though not very deep. I agree to this fully, and yet affirm, that there is fo much the more virtue, fo much the more wifdom, and perhaps

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perhaps I may add, so much the more pleasure in making this ufe of them. st

I conclude this part of my fubject, with advifing you to maintain a friendship with one ano→

ther, and to carry the

intimacies of early life, To this I add, that you

through the whole of it. ought to defire and cultivate the correfpondence of men of piety and learning Man made for fo

ciety, derives his chief advantages of every kind, from the united efforts of many confpiring to the fame end. As to piety, nothing is more effenti al to it, than focial communication. It properly confifts in the fupreme love of God, and fervent charity to all men. The Chriftian alfo hath need of the affiftance of others in his paffage through this world, where he has fo much oppofition to encounter. Thofe who deferve this cha racter, are faid to be pilgrims and ftrangers on the earth. Therefore they ought to keep together, left they lose their way. They comfort each o ther in diftrefs, they affift each other in doubts: and difficulty, they embolden each other by their example, and they affift each other by their pray

ers.

This is no lefs the cafe in refpect to literature. It has been obferved, that great and eminent mene have generally, in every nation, appeared in cluf➡ ters. The reafon of this probably is, that their fociety and mutual intercourfe greatly adds to their improvement, and gives force and vigour to the talents which they may feverally poffefs.

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